The Inferno
by weatheredlaw
Summary: All hope abandon, ye who enter in. Yugi finds himself lost among murder, love, and blood.
1. Yugi Astray In A Wood

**A/N:** I'm, of course, still working on your one-shot requests. But I had this idea and I can't get it out of my head.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 1: Yugi Astray In A Wood**

_"Midway upon the road of our life I found myself within a dark wood, for the right way had been missed."  
-Canto I, from Dante's Inferno _

I blink. Eyes open. Look up. Facing up. The moon. Why is it dark out? Why am I out now? My back is soaked with water. I laying in water. Laying on the ground. Outside. What? What happened? My head is killing me. I try to move, but pain shoots through my body, down my neck, courses through me. I close my eyes. Lay back down. It's cold. _Think, Yugi, think._ What the hell happened? I don't remember. I remember going home from class. I remember that. Remember talking to Joey on the phone. Hanging up. I saw something. What was it? What did I see? A familiar face? No. A fight? I don't think so. I feel hopeless, knowing I can't remember. I move my arms out to lift myself up. And touch cool, cold skin.

A body.

I turn a look. Can't scream. She's dead. I look at her closely. I know this girl. Big, peering eyes. Blonde hair. Sweet face. I know her. From another lifetime, it seems. Another day when I was just a child. Who is she? I know I know her. I can see her in my mind. A name. A name is there. What is it?

_Rebecca. Rebecca Hawkins._

Oh God. I look at her. Yes, it's her. The little girl who clung to my clothes and called me her boyfriend. The little girl who clutched a teddy bear and demanded I repay what was hers. The little girl who'd never hurt anyone. Never could. She can't be dead. These things don't happen. She can't be dead. Just can't be. Why the hell is she here anyway? This makes no sense. Makes no sense at all.

"Rebecca. Hey, Rebecca. Wake up." It's so obvious she's dead. So glaringly obvious. But I can't think straight right now. I move my fingers to her neck. To check for a pulse. My fingers slip right into her vein. "Oh God," I murmur. I sit up all the way. Her throat's been slit. She's dead. She's dead and I'm here. Why am I here? I realize I am not soaked with water.

I am soaked with her blood.

We're in an alley way, I realize. Hidden. Dumped here. Someone put us here. Who? Why can't I remember? I stand. I am covered in blood. I am swimming in it. I will die in it if I don't get away. But I can't leave her here. I pull out my phone. 23 missed calls. _Fuck._ I dial the phone. Emergency line. Need to tell someone.

_911 what is your emergency?_

What do I say? "I'm uh, I'm in an alley way and I don't...I don't...ah shit shit shit."

_Sir, please. It's going to be alright. What are your cross streets?_

I wander not too far to see the streets. "Clarke and 10th."

_We'll have someone come out there and-_

"There's a girl. She's dead. She's dead, shit, she's dead. I don't know how, I can't remember anything I-"

_Sir, it's going to be alright. We'll take care of it._ I hang up. And I wait. Sit next to her.

"It's going to be okay. We'll fix this. We'll make it right, okay hon? We'll make it right. I'll make it alright." How old was she then? Ten? I was seventeen. No, sixteen. That was five years ago. Fifteen year old girls should not be dead in alley ways. They should be at home or the movies or crushing on boys. Not dead. Anything but dead. There are no sirens. The cops pull up. They're laughing. Wasn't I serious enough? Didn't I tell them she was dead? They stop. One of them turns away.

"Jesus."

"Please. Help her," I whisper. I'm crying. I've been crying now.

"It's okay kid. We'll get her out of here. Just, uh, calm down."

"Okay. Okay. Okay." I keep saying things. She doesn't deserve this. Doesn't need to be dead. I'm holding her hand. They tell me I need to let go. Tell me I can't ride with her. Because she's not going to the hospital. Because she's not alive or dying. Because she's dead. They put me in the police car.

"I want to go home," I whisper.

"Kid. You were found with a dead body. You're not going anywhere but the station."

"I want to go home..."

"He's in shock, I think."

"Think he did it?" Like I'm not here.

"I don't know I...hey. Aren't you that game kind or whatever?"

"What? Man, what're you talking about. He's a college kid."

"No, he's that game king. What's his name, uh Yani."

"That's the singer."

"Yagi."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Yugi," I whisper under my breath.

"Yeah! You're Yugi Mutou aren't you?" I nod. "Nah, this kid didn't do anything. He's the fucking game king or whatever. Nice guy, I heard. Hey kid, are you a nice guy?" He laughs.

"Shut up man. He's in shock."

"Whatever. Let's just get him back." I look at my phone again. _23 missed calls._ Twenty three. I look through them. Most of them are from home. Some from Tea. Some from Joey. A couple from Tristan. Most from home. Most from home.

"Hey! Don't you be callin' anyone, alright?"

"My friends. My grandpa, they-"

"They can wait." The cop in the passenger seat snatches the phone from me. Scowls. It's covered in blood. I look out the window. I feel so far away from it all. So far from home. From her. She's a child. And she's dead. I cry silently in the back seat. The cop who is driving looks back.

"Hey, game king. It's okay. You're not in trouble."

"Yeah. Not yet."


	2. Rebecca

**A/N:** Murder. Mystery. Intrigue. Can I pull this off? I sure as shit hope so.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 2: Rebecca**

_"I come from a place whither I desire to return."  
-Canto II, from Dante's Inferno_

Am I dreaming? I'm in a room. They said I blacked out in the cop car. Said I kept saying things. _We'll make it right. I'll make it right. I'm so sorry. I'll make it right. _What have I done? I'm wearing blue scrubs. They took my clothes. I'm wearing blue. A light blue. Robin's egg blue. Not orange. I'm not in trouble.

_Not yet, anyway_. Isn't that what he said? I'm not handcuffed. I'm not in trouble. _Not yet, anyway_.

"So. Yugi Nutou. Well. This is interesting. My son is a big fan."

"Can I have your autograph?" Laughter.

"Stop it you two." There are three men. One of them is in charge. He's standing in the corner, obscured by shadows. It'd be funny if I didn't have the mental image of my fingers sinking into Rebecca's neck still in my mind. If I didn't have her blood under my nails. If I had never been there in the first place.

"I'm Detective Thorne. This is Omega and Paulson. Yugi, no one is blaming you for what happened. We just need you to tell us what you remember, understand?" I nod. Thorne steps out of the shadows and sits down. "Start at the beginning."

"I don't...I can't remember, I-"

"Well start!" Omega snaps.

"Enough. Yugi. Take it slow, alright?" I nod. _Think Yugi._ But all I can think about is Rebecca the little girl. Running up to me. _I don't need a teddy bear. I've got a boyfriend._ A child. Just a child. "I had class at three. I was done at four. So I started walking home. I talked to Joey. And then...then I saw something. But, I don't remember what."

"You took a pretty bad blow to the head. That's probably why." I nod.

"I just remember that what I saw was familiar. So I...I went down this street. Not the alley where I was, but a street. And then..." I'm starting to remember a little bit. "I went into a door. A red door. Graffiti. There was graffiti. I heard something. So I followed someone. Someone who had something. I never saw his face. He was always turned the other way. Always facing away from me."

"That's good. Do you remember what you heard?" I shake my head.

"Did you rape her before or after you killed her?"

"PAULSON! Out! You too, Omega." The other too wander out of the room. I stare at Thorne.

"She-she was raped?" He nods. "Aw fuck. Fuck fuck fuck." I bury my face in my hands. I just want to go home. But I want to go home yesterday. "What time is it?"

"Almost midnight. Your family and friends are here. They're worried sick about you." I sigh, look away.

"She was just a kid. Still is. She's just a kid. Kids don't belong dead in alley ways."

"No, Yugi. They don't. And it's my job to find the people who do that to kids. That's what I do. I handle all the cases involving kids around here."

"That sounds like fun."

"It's no walk in the park, but it's my job." He pulls out a newspaper. "This article was going to run in the next morning paper. They pulled it when I told them what happened, but they saved it for me. I save all the articles that have to do with my cases."

"For your scrapbook?" I ask bitterly. He sighs. Shows me the article:

**_PROFESSOR HAWKINS TO SPEAK, DESPITE MISSING GRANDDAUGHTER_**

"The professor is here?" He nods. "For how long?"

"Two weeks. Rebecca went missing four days ago. They decided to keep in on the down-low, given the secrecy of the seminar he's giving. It's supposed to be a surprise for the mayor. She's really into that whole Egyptian game study of his. Her birthday's in two days. Her secretary planned the whole thing and the police have been involved to keep it a secret. But then his granddaughter when missing and the whole thing kind of blew up in our faces. It's hard to keep missing kids a secret when you want everyone on the lookout for them. Anyway, tomorrow they're running a story about her death. You won't be in it, at least, your name won't._" _I must look scared. "Yugi. It's going to be okay. As long as you're completely honest with me, we won't run into any problems. Now, let's get you back to your family, alright?" I nod and stand, shakily. With a firm hand on my back, he leads me down the hall. Everyone is there and my grandpa rushes over immediately and pulls me to him. I've grown much taller than him over the years and his arms wrap tightly around my middle. I hiss in pain. Bruises I didn't know were there are forming all over my body. He pulls away.

"I was so worried."

"Yug!" Joey, Tristan, and Tea come over. "Man, are you alright?" I shrug. And then I see him. The one person who has protected me for so long. I just want him to hold me. Because his arms around me make me feel safe. His mere presence makes me feel safe.

"_Aibou_," he whispers. He brings his hands around the back of my head and holds me lightly, knowing where my pain is. I need this. I need him. I need them all.

I need to go home. "Let's go home," he whispers. I nod.

"Yugi?" Thorne stands behind me. "As a fellow citizen and, well, human being, I want you to know I think you're innocent. She's a child and she was treated like filth. I don't think you have it in you to do it. But as a detective, I must follow every lead and investigate every suspect. And you are a suspect. Though I know in my heart you didn't do anything, I must maintain my duties as a detective above my duties as a citizen. And if you lie to me or hide things from me, I will not hesitate to suspect you more so than I do now. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Now go home."

* * *

**sub A/N:** All the quotes and chapter titles are from Dante's Inferno. Only the chapter titles have been altered. And in Inferno, they're called Cantos.


	3. The Gates of Hell

**A/N:** Still going. Working out the kinks, but I know what's happening.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 3: The Gates of Hell**

_"...through me is the way into eternal woe; through me is the way among the lost people."  
Canto III, from Dante's Inferno_

I wake up the next morning with bruises in places I hadn't know I'd been beaten. Beaten? I'd been beaten? Yes, I had. We both had. I remember now. Vaguely. Shapes and blurs. I dreamed about it. Dreamed of memories. I could see it, though it was fuzzy. Remembered her crying. Told them to stop. Please, just stop. She's a child. Stop. Take me instead. So they beat the living shit out of me. I go into the bathroom. Turn on the shower. I'm still in the blue scrubs they gave me. I just collapsed on the bed, didn't change. I was so tired. Bruises are criss-crossed all over my body. I hand print has left its mark on my throat. They tried to kill me. She begged them not to. So they killed her instead.

After my shower and after I change, I go downstairs. It's early, only 8:30, but I'm wired. Yami is in the kitchen eating cereal and staring out the window. I walk quietly into the room.

"Hey." He jumps, knocking over his glass of juice.

"Yugi!" Covering the liquid with a towel he gets up. "How are you today?"

"Bad. Getting better, but bad." I show him my side. He frowns, fingering one of the bruises. "Stop," I whisper. He pulls his hand back like he's been burned. I can't do this. This touching thing. He knows how awkward it gets. When he and I want to touch and we can't because we promised that touching and loving one another was not right and shouldn't happen. Even though every cell in my body loves him, I can't. He agrees. It wouldn't be right. I sigh and pour myself from juice. He sits back down and refills his glass.

"What happened?" he asks quietly.

"I don't remember."

"You were talking last night."

"I had a bad dream." He looks at me. "They beat her. They beat her and they wouldn't stop, so I told them to leave her alone. And then they beat me. When she asked them to stop, they killed her." He looks at his cereal, then back at me. "I should call Detective Thorne." He nods.

"Are you hungry?"

"No. I'm not. I'm tired. I want to crawl back into bed. I want to die."

"Stop it."

"Stop what? What? Is there a problem? Am I being unreasonable? Because I think, if I remember, I was the one who woke up next to a dead girl in the alley last night! I was the one who watched them and-" I turn away. I can't do this.

"Yugi-" He reaches toward me.

"Stay away from me!" I pull on my shoes and run out of the house. Head straight toward the police station. I don't stop running till I get there. I shove open the doors.

"Game king!" The cop who wasn't a dick to me last night is there.

"Oh, hey."

"Aww, you remember me, right?" I nod. "My name's Greg. You okay?"

"I'm looking for Detective Thorne."

"Yeah, he's in his office. Come on Game King. I'll show you there. Yaji, right?"

"Yugi."

"Yugi! Great name. Hey chief, the game king's here. Good luck kid." He smiles and walks away.

"Yugi? Is something the matter?"

"You said to tell you if I remember anything. Well, I-" I stop. Look in his office. "Wow." It's covered in new paper articles. Photographs. Names, numbers, addresses. One all reads A-F. Then G-L, and so on. I see her picture very clearly. Bright eyed and brilliant. I go over to it, touch the edges. Touch the spot on the photo where the vein in her neck is. Try not to remember how my finger slipped into her like that. Came out covered in blood. I back away. There's no pulse beneath this throat. This is a picture. And she's dead. I look at him.

"I told you, I save every article."

"You weren't kidding." He shakes his head. Looks at me expectantly. "I had a dream last night. But I know it was real, you know?" He nods. "In the dream, they were beating her. I don't know how long we'd been there, but I know she was screaming."

"Had she been raped yet?"

"I don't know. But I know that she kept screaming. So I told them to stop. They'd said I needed to hush, but, I couldn't take it. I mean, she's just a little girl. I can't get over that. She's still just a little girl. Anyway, they started beathing me instead. And when she told them to stop, they..."

"Slit her throat." I nod. I feel like I'm going to collapse. "Sit down, Yugi." I sit. "Thank you for coming in and telling me this. I really appreciate it. I'm glad we can trust one another." He leans back and rubs his eyes.

"Have you been here a while?"

"Since before they brought you in. This Hawkins case has been my life for three days now. It's getting to me. Such a sweet kid. I've done so many of these cases. It's a wonder I get any sleep at all." He shakes his head and starts cutting out another article. "This is the one from today. You're 'the anonymous suspect in the alley way.' What do you think?" I narrow my eyes.

"I didn't do anything wrong."

"No, you didn't. But you're a suspect, nonetheless, whether you like it or not. Every heard of the saying, 'First on the scene, first suspect?' People who actually do these things will show up first at a crime scene. You know, I found the body, clearly I could have done nothing. Doesn't work. Anyway, like I said, I know you're innocent, but I have to do my job. I have a duty to Rebecca, you understand? And so do you." I nod. "We're going to find the son of a bitch that did this. I promise you that." He smiles for a minute, and I can see that this is what makes him tick. Seems twisted, but this guy likes finding people who kill kids. I know he wishes they weren't dead anyway, but vindication feels good. Really good.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Did you...I mean, have you, you know, had a kid?" He looks away and then back.

"Yes. But he wasn't murdered, if that's what you're thinking. My son died of pneumonia three years ago. He was thirteen."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. A lot of people think that I do this because I lost a kid. No, I do this because this is what's right. Because kids need a protector. And even after they're gone. They need someone here who knows what to do. They need someone to bring justice back in the world, even if I do it little by little. Even if, sometimes, if feels like taking one step in and two steps back."

"Does it ever get hopeless?"

"Every fucking day, Yugi. But that's the thing. Even when it feels hopeless, you have to have hope. Because hope isn't spawned from nothing. Hope begets hope. If we all forgot how that felt, we'd live in eternal sadness, wouldn't we?"


	4. The Unbaptized, Virtuous Children

**A/N:** Dear people, I'm sorry I killed Rebecca. Love, delora.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 3: The Unbaptized, Virtuous Children**

_"...I come into a region where is nothing that can give light."  
Canto IV, Dante's Inferno _

_Look left right up and down. Where is she? I've lost sight of her. **Rebecca?**_

**_Over here, silly. She's not fifteen, she's a child. But she looks fifteen. She clutches her teddy bear. Are you here to save me? she asks._**

_**No, Rebecca. I can't save you. You're dead, remember?**_

_**Oh yeah. I remember. **_

_**I'm sorry.**_

_**Don't be. Just figure it out, okay? **_

"Rebecca!" I sit up in bed, grasping at the sheets. The hall light comes on and Yami bursts into my room. "Where is she? Oh God, shit shit." I grab may face, tears flowing fast.

"Yugi..." He reaches cautiously for my face. I let him touch me. I fall into him. I'm sobbing, shaking, screaming into the sheets.

"It's not fair it's not it's not."

"I know little one. It's not."

"Why? What did she ever do? She's a kid! She's a little girl! And she won't get to know what it's like to grow up. Never..."

"It's alright _hikari_. It's alright. They'll find the person who did this. They'll find them and they'll make it better, okay?" I shake my head. Nothing will ever make this better. Nothing will ever make what I had to see right. Nothing but the block on my brain. The thing stopping me from remembering. His face. What they did. I know I had to watch. But I just can't remember. It keeps leaking into my dreams. She keeps standing there and asking me if I'll find them. If I'll figure it out. It's not a duel, Rebecca. This isn't a game. This is real and you're really dead and I'm really losing my mind. I'll fix it, I promise.

"Yugi? Are you going to be alright?"

"Don't leave me," I whisper. "Stay here, okay?" He nods. I lean back and he crawls into bed with me, holding me. I know we promised not to touch, but I need this. I need him. God, how I need him. I fall asleep fitfully. I can't do this much longer. I'm losing it. God, how I'm losing it. I'm beginning to fall asleep when a memory comes to me. Something my mind is hiding. Something I don't want to see. But my mind is cracking and through those cracks, memories fall like rain. Blend with my dreams. Become night mares.

_"Look," he said, looking from me to Rebecca with a stick in his hand. "This wasn't the plan. He wasn't supposed to be here. If you hadn't run around with that thing on your fucking arm, we wouldn't be here."_

_"Shut up and kill him already, will you?"_

_"No. That's not the plan." I looked up at them, their faces obscured by masks. Or shadows. Or both._

_"Fine. Kill her." The one with the stick nodded. "Wait."_

_"What NOW?"_

_"No one said we couldn't have a little fun."_

_"She's fifteen. Leave her alone and let's just finish this, then dump 'em." A chuckle. "Fine. But I'm not watching."_

_"Make him watch."_

_"Come on, man. No one put emotional torture on the to-do list."_

_"But emotional torture is what I do best." The one with the stick sighed and grabbed me. _

_"Guess you can close your eyes if you want."_

_"You do and I'll shoot your teeth out."_

_"Or not." So they held me up. The one in charge grabbed her. She screamed and kicked and thrashed. He smacked her again and again until she trembled in fear. He pushed into her. She screamed, made a strange noise that did not sound like anything human. She clawed at him but he didn't notice. The other guy looked away. Tears fell down my face. A child. A child. That's all she was. Just a child. I shook my head, trying to throw the screams and images away. Trying to forget them. I looked straight at her face. Couldn't look anywhere else. Eventually she fell silent. Her eyes locked onto mine. _

_"Yugi! Yugi!"_

"YUGI!"

"STOP! Stop please stop!"

"Yugi, wake up. Wake up Yugi, come on." Moonlight falls through the curtains. Yami is next to me, shaking me awake. How did he get here? "What are you doing here?"

"You told me to stay."

"I did?" He nods. "Oh. Good. Very good. Stay, please." I clutch him to me, shaking and shivering. Trembling in fear with the memories that flood my mind. "Don't leave me."

"I won't, _aibou_. Not ever. I promise." He holds me close and I know we don't have to say anything else to show what we feel. I fall asleep and the memories stop. I don't dream anymore. I sleep soundly with him holding me. As soundly as I can anyway, with her screams echoing in my cracking mind. I bury my face in his chest. "You're going to be okay," he whispers.

"I want it to stop."

"It will, in time."

"But what if it doesn't?"

"I'll still be here."

"I'm losing my mind."

"You're scared. It's natural." He sounds tired. He's drifting off. So am I. I blink once, and fall asleep.

The next morning I've forgotten, again, that I asked him to be here. He's deep asleep so I get out of bed and wander downstairs. I hear murmuring in the kitchen. "Grandpa?"

"In here Yugi....with Professor Hawkins." My stomach drops. Head begins to spin. Palms sweat. Hands shake. "Come on in." I walk carefully into the kitchen to confront the haggard looking professor. He smiles weakly at me and stands, placing his hands on my shoulders and pulling me into a hug.

"Thank you," he whispers. "Thank you for finding my little girl."

"I didn't...."

"Oh, but you did. You see Yugi, there is a certain amount of fear in not knowing where someone is. Even if they're gone. It's always nice to know exactly where they are. And I know exactly where my granddaughter is now."

I can't help but see the logic of this. The way it makes sense. The way his eyes tell me that this is exactly the way the world works and I should learn something from him. And I do. His eyes teach me everything. I see Rebecca's eyes, almost, if I really look. And I want to cry. I miss her and I realize I hardly even know her. I hardly even know myself anymore, it seems. I hardly know anything at all.


	5. Coming Into the Darkness

**A/N:** I know exactly how I want this to end. Does that help? I'm breaking down and making this Puzzleshipping. But the end will surprise you. Hopefully.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 5: Coming Into the Darkness**

_"...no hope ever comforts them, not of repose, but even of less pain."  
Canto V, from Dante's Inferno _

What did I need? I began to ask myself this question. I needed space, for one. I needed time alone. I needed people to stop asking me if I was alright. If I felt okay. If I needed to talk. If I remembered anything. I was remembering things. Thoughts and images came to me in my dreams and in the strangest places. I was with grandpa in the grocery store. I smelled baking bread and I remembered that I had smelled bread while I'd been in the room. I called Detective Thorne. He sent people scattering all over the city looking for red doors with graffiti on them -- they found nothing. I wasn't sure of the smell later on. Was it bread? Was it something else? It had smelled like bread, I am sure of that.

Yami is beginning to suffocate me. Since that night he slept in my bed, things have been strange. I don't know if he thinks we we're together, or if he thinks he has to be closer to me since the dream. But whatever the reason, he's driving me insane. He sits close to me, leans in tight, watches me. Hovers over me. Tea does it. Joey does it. Tristan does it. Everyone does it -- forces me into corners and insists I talk. I don't want to. Don't need to. I'm fine.

One night as we're sitting in my room, Yami looks at me, cautiously, and says, "You can't keep it inside forever, little one. Someday, it must come out." I stand.

"Would you just leave me alone already? Jesus, if I don't want to talk about it I shouldn't have to!"

"Yugi, please, there's no need to get upset."

"Stop telling me what I should and shouldn't feel, alright?"

"I'm not-"

"I'm going for a walk." I stomp out of my room, shaking with fury. I've just blown up at the only person I care enough about to talk to. I've just lost my temper and he only wants to help and I just want to run and run and get away from it all and be alone and secluded. I don't even know where I'm going. The park, I suppose. It's ten at night. The moon is full, but clouds hang in the air. The smell of rain is in the wind and the stars are blanketed by darkness. I'm feeling better. Alone. Better. Alone is better I reason. Maybe I'll move away. Never talk to anyone again. Could I do that?

I'm shaken from my thoughts by a small voice. "Yugi?"

"Mokuba!" I turn around and see Kaiba's younger brother standing in the park. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same thing, I guess." I nod, laughing a bit. "You alright?"

"Fine," I say sharply.

"I heard what happened."

"How'd you find out it was me?"

"Seto has his ways." He comes and starts walking next to me. "Why are you out here?"

"I'm suffocating." He nods. Somehow, I know he understands. "What about you?"

"I'm drowning." He smiles. "You know, you and I-" He stops. Stops talking, stops walking. Simply stops.

"Mokuba? What is it?" He holds up a shaky hand. I follow it. Step back. Fall to my knees. "Oh God."

In front of us is the strangest sight. The most gruesome sight. The most unbelievably impossible sight I could never have imagined in all my life. A young man is hanging from the tree. He is clothed, but it is ripped. His stomach is cut open and blood and whatever else hangs from him. Drips onto the sidewalk. Mokuba vomits. A strange noise comes from my throat. A moan, a yell, a scream, a gurgling noise. God, I know him. Oh, God, I do. Weevil Underwood hangs from the tree. Weevil Underwood swings from a rope. Weevil Underwood drip, drip, drips onto the sidewalk. Weevil Underwood is dead.

Mokuba shakily pulls out his cell phone. Dials 9-11. I have begun the silence myself. I have begun to die. I have started out on the long road through hell. And I will not survive it. Not at this rate.

"Game king!" It's Greg, the police officer whom I've met, and his partner. "Kid. You keep showing up in all the wrong places. Who is this?"

"Aw, that's that Kaiba kid's brat brother. Hey little guy, better hope big bro bails you out this one, huh?" I'm fairly certain Mokuba is seventeen. Little guy. Fairly certain he's only two years older than Rebecca. Little guy. Fairly certain he's a child. And he's crying and wiping his mouth. I wrap my arm around him.

"It's okay Mokuba. It's okay." He nods and nods and nods over and over again. The officers put us in the car. Drive us to the station. I wait a while for Detective Thorne to talk to Mokuba. He comes out, pale and unnerved. Smiles shakily at me. We hear footsteps coming down the hall. Seto Kaiba.

"Seto!" Mokuba runs to his brother who wraps him tightly in a hug. Kaiba still towers over his younger brother, but he seems so small in light of the situation. He looks at me.

"I don't know what you did, but thanks for keeping him safe." He walks away, his hand on his brother's shoulder. I feel someone sit next to me.

"Well. This isn't exactly good for you, is it?" Detective Thorne looks at me.

"What are you implying?"

"That you've been found at the scene of two murders. What do you have to say about that?"

"Haven't I been honest with you? You said that as long as I told the truth, you'd trust me and believe that I was innocent."

"Trust only reaches so far."

"Then I haven't proved myself to you? Maybe I should stop telling you things. Let you think I did it."

"I know you didn't. There's no proof against you. This guy's been dead for hours. Where have you been all day?"

"Home. Need to call my grandpa?" He shakes his head. "I went to the park because I was suffocating. Everyone is driving me crazy. I can't think in my own house, okay?" He sighs. "I've been honest with you. What more do you want?" He smiles.

"Nothing. Nothing but that kid. I did call your house. Some guy named Yami picked up. He's on his way to get you. Be careful, okay?" I nod, but I'm wary now. I don't want to see anyone. Not now. But here he comes, walking quickly down the hall toward me. He looks upset, but when he sees me, he doesn't touch me, doesn't say much.

"Let's go." I stand. He's angry, I can see that. Angry because I pushed him away? Angry because another person has died around me? I don't know. He turns sharply and we head out to the car. I taught him to drive a couple years ago. He's not bad, but he's not good either. The situation won't help.

"You should let me drive."

"I can handle it." He gets in, sticks his head out the window, watches me stand there. "Get. In. Yugi." He rarely says my name. It sounds so strange coming from him. I comply and get in the car. He pulls away. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't know," I say quietly. He slams his hand on the steering wheel, making me jump.

"God _dammit_ Yugi! I'm sick of this I don't know bullshit! What the hell is happening to you? You don't tell me anything anymore. You used to tell me everything. Please, _aibou_, tell me what's happening." His voice changes, suddenly. Like he's begging. He pulls the car onto the side of the road, turns it off and looks at me. I open the door. The space is too small. I can't do this. I can't take this. He runs after me as I walk away from the car. "Yugi! Where are you going?"

"Away from you!" He stops like he's been punched in the gut. "I can't take it anymore! You're suffocating me! I just want space to think and breathe! You weren't the one who sat in a puddle of Rebecca's blood. You didn't see Weevil Underwood's guts dripping from his body! You didn't have to do any of this. And now, now, _now_ that I want some fucking room, you just smother me. You smother and smother and coddle and smother and you don't give me any air! And I'm sick of it! I'm sick of Detective Thorne and Rebecca haunting my dreams and I'm sick of you!" I fall onto the ground, my body shaking with sobs. I can't do this. Not anymore. I need him to leave me. But he doesn't. He just...stands there, his arms limp at his sides, like I've beaten him. That noise is coming out again and he moves quickly to me. Can't he see that this isn't what I need? That I don't want him to touch me? "Get away from me!" He backs away.

"_Aibou_, please. Don't do this. Don't push me away."

"Take me home. I want to go home." I stand and walk past him, getting into the car and slamming the door. He gets in a moment later and we drive in silence. Once home, I walk quickly to my room and lock the door. I see his feet outside.

"_Hikari_, I don't want you to shut me out. I l-" He stops. "I care about you too much to see this happen." He stands there for a moment, then walks away. I slide down the door.

"I love you, too," I whisper.


	6. Newly Tormented Souls

**A/N: **Errr. Yeah. More people die. Sorry. Possible lemon? Maybe? We'll see. Hmm. Guess not.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 6: Newly Tormented Souls**

_"Here they lie through all eternity..."  
Canto VI, from Dante's Inferno_

It takes a lot to admit to Yami that I had done him wrong. And I'm not sure if I can say it to him with words. Or cards. Or a cake or something like that. After that night, the night Mokuba and I found Weevil, he walks around me carefully, like treading on eggshells and glass, trying to avoid speaking to me or angering me, something that happed quickly if people, or I, weren't careful.

"You're not exactly the easiest person to be around these days," he says to me one morning at the breakfast table.

"Sorry," I snap. "Guess I should try and be a bit easier while I'm a murder suspect."

"_Aibou_, Detective Thorne-"

"I'm going for a walk." I stand and go outside, careful not to venture too far from the house. I rack my brain for words to say to him that aren't laced with hatred and bitterness. Because I don't hate him. I'm not angry at him. He's done nothing but care for and love me and all I've done is push him away. I hate myself, in truth. I have all of this. My phone rings.

"Hello?"

"Yugi? It's Detective Thorne."

"Wh-wh-h-how did- I mean-"

"I'm a police officer Yugi. I can get whatever number I want. But that's not the problem. We've got something bigger. Do you know a guy by the name of Rex Raptor? Is that his real name? I mean, it's a little silly, but, he is dead. I- Yugi? You there?"

"Y-yeah. I'm here. I know him."

"Well he's dead. Someone found him this morning clear on the other side of town around 3 AM. Where were you?"

"Asleep."

"I figured. Alright, well it looks like we may have a trend here..."

"Duelists," I breathe.

"Yeah. It seems that whoever is doing this is targeting duelists. Jesus, they fucked this kid up. Alright-"

"What did they do?"

"Well...I'm not supposed to say...but it is you...They, uh...ahem. Well. It's kind of-"

"Detective."

"They castrated the poor kid and then hung him, okay? And they beat the living shit out of him too. Jesus. This is getting to be too much for me. You need to be careful. If whoever is doing this is targeting high-profile duelists, then you're number one on the list, you know what I mean? You're the-"

"Game King. Right. I know."

"Alright, well, you take care of yourself Yugi. Call me if you remember anything, okay? Or if you, you know, just want to talk." We hang up and I sit down on a bench near the sidewalk. I can see home from here still. Another duelist is dead. First Rebecca, then Weevil, now Rex. I think briefly about Joey. I should warn him to look out. Should warn every duelist I know. Maybe even Pegasus. I groan and slump over. This is getting to be too much. First I can't even tell Yami I'm sorry, now duelists are dropping like flies. I stand and head back home. When I get there, Yami is where I left him in the kitchen.

"That was fast."

"It got cut short."

"What happened?"

"Detective Thorne called me. Rex Raptor is dead." He stares at me, blinking.

"You're joking."

"Shut up."

"God...I mean...you realize what this means of course..."

"Yeah. Someone is targeting duelists. I need to call Joey. Tell him to watch out. You should....you know, be careful too, okay?" He nods and smiles at me. I manage a small smile back, but I know it's not enough. I know I need to do more. "I'm going to go upstairs and call Joey. Then take a nap. Wake me if you need anything." He nods and goes back to reading his book. Upstairs, I call Joey. Tell him what's happening. Tell him to watch his back.

"I should be tellin' you the same thing Yug. I mean, this stuff just keeps happenin' to you, you know?"

"Yeah..."

"But you know, at least you got us. And your grandpa. And Yami. I mean...you're not alone. Okay? Just remember that."

"Thanks Joey. That...that means a lot. Thank you."

"No prob Yug. See you tomorrow, okay?" He hangs up and I fall into a fitful sleep. The memories begin sliding back in, like blocks in a puzzle.

_"Who the hell is that?"_

_"Yugi Mutou."_

_"The King of Games."_

_"Game King, King of Games, runt, whatever. It's him."  
_

_"What the fuck is he doing here?"_

_"I don't know."_

_"God dammit, why do you have that?"_

_"It's a Duel Disk, not a bomb. Jesus."_

_"He saw it! No one's used one of those since, like, a few years after that Battle City Tournament."_

_"Yeah, I know. I competed in Battle City. Almost made it too." _

_"Who defeated you?"_

_"Some woman. Mai Valentine I think."_

_"Isn't she on the list?"_

_"Yeah, she's there. Come on, help me out. He's heavy for a little guy."_

_"He saw you wearing that and now he's here. The boss said that he wasn't supposed to get involved."_

_"Yeah, well, he did. So let's just take care of her and dump him."_

_"He'll remember us."_

_"We'll take care of that."_

"_AIBOU! _Wake up!" I sit up straight. I fell asleep in the afternoon but it's now past eleven. "_Aibou_, it's okay. It's okay."

"Wh-what happened?"

"The dreams. Again." I nod. He brushes a piece of hair from my face. "Are you alright?" I nod again and he smiles. A warm, sweet smile that heats me to the souls of my feet. And I am rejuvinated, for a moment. Wired. Awake. And happy. For once in so many days, I feel safe and happy. I smile at him and lean my head against his shoulder.

"I'm fine. Please, don't go, okay?" He hums in agreement and holds me. I look at him. And I know that I have done wrong by pushing him away. So I pull him close. And I kiss him. He's not sure what to think, for a moment. His eyes widen and then close as he kisses me back. I push my tongue into his mouth and he does the same to me. We tumble onto the bed and fight for control. I win. Strangely enough. I push myself up and lean over him, smiling. Then I kiss him again. We just lay there for a while, kissing and pushing and fighting for control. Eventually we fall asleep. It is the best night of sleep I've had in a while. In the morning, he wakes up before me, leaning against the headboard and just staring. I wake up soon afterward.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Nothing. I'm just thinking, if they're hunting down major duelists, I wonder why Kaiba hasn't done anything? I mean, you know, said anything."

"You know Kaiba." He laughs and nods. "He doesn't care about this stuff. If someone wants to kill Seto Kaiba, they're going to have a hell of a time doing it. He's probably the safest person out there." I look at him. "Come here." I pull him down and we kiss again for a long time. That's it. Just kiss. It seems so right. All these things we have been doing to stop ourselves from becomming what we are now seem so wrong. I sigh and lean against him. "What's going to happen?"

"I don't know, _aibou_. I really don't. We'll be fine though, okay?" I nod and fall back asleep. No dreams. No memories. Just sleep.


	7. Every Star Sinks

**A/N:** Whoa. I keep killing people. I need to stop.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 7: Every Star Sinks**

_"O creatures foolish, how great is that ignorance that harms you!"  
Canto VII, from Dante's Inferno_

What place am I lost in? What world have I fallen out of? I remember only small bits of the places between places. The spaces between spaces. My heart before it was owned by another. My soul before it was the half of a whole. I only remember small parts. And before all this? I remember Rebecca, yes. And Weevil. And Rex.

And Mai.

I remember her. Like a book or a movie I saw, but I know I liked and now I can't recall it. But I remember her. She slips from my mind like water over river rocks. Like hands over smooth marble. Like blood over smooth concrete. Like the concrete she has died upon. I had called her as soon as I woke up. She laughed. Told me not to worry. Two days later she is dead. And I had tried to save her. I tried this time. I will keep trying, I suppose. I tell Joey to watch himself carefully. Mai's death has broken him. He is in a daze. They would never had become anything, this much is true. But there was something there, there's no denying it. There was something there.

And now that something is gone. I tumble from one world to the next, trying to make sense of it all. In one sphere exists the night of Rebecca's death. A place I revisit in sleep and frequently. In another exists Weevil, Rex, and Mai. Any others will go to live there as well. In the third sphere, Yami stands. And here he always has arms to hold me. Lips to kiss me. Hands and fingers to touch me. And I am safe. I try to remain here. But it's hard. Hard when the first world keeps colliding with all the others and making my nights restless and full of nightmares. I can't seem to escape it. I have the strangest feeling that Rebecca is guiding that world. And that she wants me to help her. But doesn't she know there's nothing I can do? That it's all in the hands of Thorne and people like Greg the cop and the rest of the investigators. It's up to justice to serve itself. I can do nothing.

But that doesn't stop her from stomping around my consciousness as I try to sleep with Yami. As I try to get him to laugh in the middle of the night. When I am with him, I forget Rebecca and the others. I forget that I am cursed to collide with dead bodies until the killer is found. I forget that it hurts to laugh too hard still. That my sides are still deeply bruised. I forget that four people have died in a month. I forget it all. And I try and feel him as much as possible. As he explores me and I explore him. As we compete and sometime I win. And sometimes I lose. As our tongues become as entertwined as our fingers. As we become tangled in bed sheets. As he brushes my hair away from my forehead and stares at me, admiring something he sees there but I do not.

"What do you see?"

"You," he whispers. "You as someone whole and wonderful," he says, smiling and kissing my forehead.

"I think you're drunk."

"I haven't had anything to drink."

"You're talking crazy talk."

"I'm talking to truth, little one. I love you," he says quietly in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"I love you, too."

It is strange what those words do to me. When he says them. I love you. They can be empty and they can be full. To me they are overflowing. I fumble over them and it's hard to say them. But I love them. And I say them whenever I can. Trace them into his skin lightly with my finger. Write them on his palm. He smiles and kisses me again. "I know you do _aibou_. I know you do." He sighs and falls asleep against me. And my mind takes a small turn and slips and I fall into him in the most wonderful way possible. I want nothing more than for this to be the way it is forever.

And I know that, if we try, this can be forever. We just have to try.


	8. Honeyed Tongues

**A/N:** Body count: 4. Rebecca, Weevil, Rex, and Mai. Phew. This is intense. Who is next? Who is next? Read and find out!!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 8: Honeyed Tongues**

_"But here await me ... for I will not leave thee in the nether world."  
Canto VIII_

"So you saw a Duel Disk?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. That's weird. I mean, dueling in this city's kind of gone down hill in recent years. I mean, it's moved on to other places. Other contries even. But that's what you saw." I nod. I am talking to Detective Thorne in his office, watching him eat three-day old Chinese food and flip through the case file. He's gone from Rebecca's case to the whole thing, not wanting to let it go so easily. "Well, this could make things easier, I suppose. Kaiba Corp created the disks. Maybe they have a tracking system..."

"They did in the Battle City Tournament. Whenever one was activated to start a duel, Kaiba knew." He nods.

"Well, I suppose I should pay a visit to Seto Kaiba then. I mean, he should be warned at the same time. You should come with me."

"What? Oh no, I don't think that-"

"Aw come on. Kaiba hasn't played anymore since you have. I doubt he cares about the game too much anymore." I sigh and grab my jacket. "You can ride in the big-boy car. What do you think?"

"I've had enough riding in cop cars for the year."

"Eh, get in."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

We have to wait half and hour to finally get to talk to Kaiba. He's working on some secret project, Mokuba says, and doesn't want to be disturbed until two. So we wait. Kaiba calls us into his office. The same guy, same asshole. He looks at us both. "I'm a very busy man, Detective. What do you want?"

"On the night of Rebecca's death, Yugi here saw someone with a Duel Disk. We were wondering if you had a record of all Duel Disks purchased and still had your tracking system in place." Kaiba leans back and comtemplates us.

"Yes, I have the list. The tracking system is old, but it could work still. If someone used one the night Rebecca was killed, I would have record of it. It would take some digging, but I can help you, if that's what you're wondering."

"Excellent."

"The list of people who've purchased Duel Disks is fairly extensive. It'll take some time to wade through it all but-"

"Do you have a list of all the Battle City entrants, too?" I ask, interrupting him. A quick flash of anger passes over his face, but is gone. He nods.

"Yes I do. I'll get that as well."

"Good thinking," Thorne whispers as Kaiba asks his secretary to locate the information. She comes in with two disks.

"This here is the purchasing info. This is the list of the BC entrants. Many entrants, like Yugi here, received a free Duel Disk. But you can cross reference the lists for anyone who may have purchased one. If that's actually important. Anyway, if you can wait a bit more, I'll see if I can pull up the tracking system here in the office." He turns to a wall with a large screen on it. "Mokuba, go ahead and see if you can load the tracking program."

"Got it." Mokuba sets to work, connecting Kaiba's laptop and the screen. A few moments later- "Here! Wow, it still works." Kaiba looks at the screen.

"Nothing," he murmurs to himself. He turns to us. "I'm afraid that this wasn't much help. Nothing's been activated in six or seven months."

"Can we have that list? The person could have plausibly activated the disk some time before the murder, if he had it with him that night."

"Yes, of course you can. Mokuba?" His brother nods. "It's strange though...why would he have a Duel Disk that night?"

"That's a question we're trying to answer ourselves. It seems not too important, but it was enough to attract Yugi's attention."

"I would assume so. I mean, it's been years since we've dueled. A Duel Disk would certainly be a sight for sore eyes."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"See? That wasn't so bad. I'll take you home. I'm going to start looking over these. Start calling some people. I'll let you know if I find anything, okay?" I agree and he takes me home. Yami is in the kitchen, trying to cook something, but failing. He's an awful cook. I don't know why he tries.

"What are you doing?" I ask. He scowls at me and looks at the onions. "Are you crying, hmm?"

"Damn onions. And then I rubbed my eyes." I laugh.

"Come on. Wash your hands, I'll be right back." I go upstairs and get the saline solution, then come back. I pull him into the living room and lay him on the couch.

"_Aibou_, what are you doing?"

"You rubbed onion in your eye. It'll sting for days if you don't get it out. Now hold still."

"I don't want to."

"Hold still and I'll give you a present." He sigh and relaxes, but not a lot. I manage to get the drop in. "Feel better." He nods. "Good." I lean in and start kissing his neck and shoulders. He moans and holds me close. In a few moments we're in the middle of it all. Our breathing is heavy, kisses are sloppy. He runs his hands up my shirt and brushes over my skin. I shiver and kiss the side of his face, up to his ear.

"Yugi...." God, the way he says that word. My name. "I...I need you."

"Not here," I say. "Grandpa's upstairs." He growls and nips at my skin. "Hey! Don't do that, I'm serious. We can do anything here. We shouldn't even be doing this. Now come on, let's get it together, okay?" He doesn't listen. He continues to kiss at my neck and I am lost once more.

"Ahem." We both look up with a start and see my grandpa standing at the foot of the stairs. "Well, this explains a lot." He winks and continues into the kitchen. "Who's trying to cook?"

"I am," Yami calls. Grandpa lets out a loud guffaw and comes back into the living room.

"Come here you. Let's teach you properly." Yami sighs and gets up, following grandpa into the kitchen. I hear him begin to instruct him on the finer points of cooking while I flip on the TV.

_In the Crime Watch, the Duel Monster Killer is still on the loose. Just two days ago, renowned duelist Mai Valentine was murdered. Investigators say they are chasing a lead that would connect the killer to Kaiba Corp's Duel Disk. Claims that the killer was wearing one on the night of the death of child prodigy Rebecca Hawkins have also surfaced. No real suspect has been named. _

I sigh and turn the TV off. No sense in all this. All this media and speculation. I go into the kitchen and watch them cook. We eat dinner. Grandpa talks about the talk Professor Hawkins gave. How wonderful it was. How he dedicated it to Rebecca. "Can we not talk about her, grandpa?" He nods and we continue eating.

That night, Yami and I fall into the bed, kissing and tugging. He nips at my ear and kiss me everywhere. "I want you," he says into my chest.

"I know you do...." He looks at me. "Not yet, okay?" Smiling, he nods, and comes up to rest next to me. "I will though. Just...not yet. I'm not ready."

"It's okay _aibou_. I understand." I nod and we fall asleep. Deeply and soundly. Only when he is near do I sleep so well.


	9. Buried in Chests of Stone

**A/N:** I accidentally deleted this chapter. And had to write it again. But that's okay. It'll be better this time.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's.**

**Chapter 9: B****uried in Chests of Stone**

_"Oh you whose intellects are sensible and wise, be alert to the teaching buried within this strange poetic enterprise!"  
Canto IX, from Dante's Inferno_

I am aroused from my slumbed by the distinct buzzing of my phone. Yami grumbles and roles over, mutters something I don't hear. I dig through my clothes on the floor. God, it looks like we had sex. What my grandpa would think. Wonder what he'd say if he knew I'd turned Yami down. Told him I wasn't ready. I shake my head and answer my phone. "Hello?"

"Game King?"

"Greg?" I recognize his voice, so distict over the phone. "God, how do you people keep getting this number?"

"We have our ways. Listen, Yugi, I, uh, I got some bad news." And I know exactly what he's going to say. Already knew, before I woke up. "Thorne is dead." _Dead_. Of course. Is he allowed to be anything else, really? In this fucked up ridiculous dillusion I keep waking up in, is a good and honest man like Detective Thorne allowed to live? I mean, it just isn't right. Of course he should be dead. Just like Rebecca and Weevil and Rex and Mai. Just like I should be for not being able to save them. "Game king? You still there?"

"I'm here. I'm here."

"Listen, the Captain is coming over to your house in an hour. Be ready. He's a good guy, but he's tough. Thorne liked you and the Captain liked Thorne." Naturally. Who wouldn't like Detective Thorne? He's tough and he fights for kids and he knows when he's right. I don't like how Greg keeps talking about how Thorne did things. Was this way. Was liked by this person. He's still here, isn't he? If I die, will I have to become the past tense? Will I become a verb tense? Yami looks over at me from tired eyes. Greg and I say our goodbyes and I crawl back into bed.

"What is it?"

"Thorne is dead." I stare at the ceiling. Thinking. Contemplating. Wondering. I may strangle myself with the bed sheets, save the killer some time. Yami looks at me.

"I'll leave you alone." He sits up and hauls himself out of bed, kissing me quickly before leaving. He knows now. Knows when I need to be left alone. He's good that way. Comforting. I almost want him to come back. But I need room to breathe. He gives me that now. When I need it. And I love him more for it. A little while later I hear deep voices downstairs. The Captain I'm assuming. I get dressed and wander down to meet him.

"You must be Yugi."

"The one and only." He smiles and shakes my hand. Too damn happy for me. It's ten AM and someone is dead. This isn't right. This is fucked up. I don't like this man. But he trusts/trusted Thorne who is/was a good man. I sit across from him in the living room and he starts to question me. Where was I last night? Here, asleep. Did I ever leave? No. I was sleeping. Did I get a call? From Greg around nine this morning. Would I know anyone who would want to kill Thorne? Probably the guy he was after. That I didn't know anything about because he wouldn't tell me. Sorry I can't help you. Good bye.

But he doesn't leave. Not yet. "Thorne trusted you. And he asked you to be honest. I'd like the same."

"I can do that. Honesty is my middle name." He laughs. It wasn't funny. I really think honesty might be my secret middle name I know nothing about. Just a thought. Maybe innocent. Or dead man. I like that one. Yugi Dead Man Mutou. If I ever join a street gang, that'll be a really useful nickname. Dead man. You kill that fucker yet? Nope Slooey. Not yet. Of course my gang leader would be named Slooey. Of course. I think I may be losing my mind. I space out and the Captain eventually snaps his fingers in my face. "Where'd you go kid?"

"Thinking about middle names," I say absent-mindedly. The Captain looks around. It's just us. No one to explain my strange behavior. Just him and the crazy kid who attracts dead people. I can see it in his eyes. I freak him out. Must be the hair. It intimidates people. Makes them think I'm nuts. Maybe I am. Maybe I just haven't had my breakdown yet. Maybe...

Joey comes over a little while later. We haven't hung out in ages. We walk down the street. He buys me lunch and we don't talk about Rebecca or anything. I bitch about how I'm missing classes, but they won't let me go back until this thing is either declared dead or solve. Something about a liability to the safety of the students. Because I'm fucking insane, remember?

"That's bullshit," Joey says, his mouth full of noodles.

"God, you look like a pig. Stop that. Close your mouth." He opens up wide.

"Ahhhh..."

"You're disgusting. I need new friends."

"We're stuck together pal. Don't forget that." I laugh.

"Like I could." It's nice, having a normal lunch with my best friend. Tristan and Tea show up a bit later and Joey shoves chopsticks up his nose. No one cries or asks me about the investigation. They heared about Detective Thorne on the news. Another body for my body count. Rebecca, Weevil, Rex, Mai, and Thorne. Five dead people is a lot. Too many. I have to figure something out before the killer strikes again. But I'm no investigator. I'm just a suspect. Should have asked Kaiba for my own copies of those things. Gone out on my own. Nevermind.

"When _are_ you going back to school?"

"Whenever they tell me I can. It's getting ridiculous. I've got a higher body count than the morgue."

"Technically you share a body count," Tristan says. Tea smacks his arm. "What? He started it."

"Well, you don't have to be stupid and keep it up."

"It's fine Tea, really. I haven't had this much fun in weeks."

"Aw, you missed a great chem lecture."

"I'm sure it was simple _fascinating_ Joey. Really."

"Nah, he set shit on fire. It was great."

Yeah, I bet it was.


	10. A Native of the Noble Fatherland

**A/N: **Man! I know EXACTLY how this will end, but I have to lead up to it. I'm thinking I start now, what do you guys think? Bet you won't see the killer-revelation coming. Maybe some of you will. Maybe...

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 10: A Native of the Noble Fatherland**

_"We see, like those who have imperfect sight, the things that distant are from us..."  
Canto X, from Dante's Inferno_

"Do you have an appointment with the Captain?" A skinny girl behind the counter looks at me. Again with the hair.

"No, I don't. But I'm sure he'll be happy to see me." She looks at me and then picks up the phone.

"Sir? A young man is here to see you....Yugi Mutou. Okay. Yes'sir. I'll tell him." She hangs up. "Captains says you have to wait."

"But Detective Thorne always-"

"Thorne wasn't the Captain. Sit over there." I scowl at her and turn around, taking a seat. I want to play detective, not sit around on my hands and watch innocent people die. I'm sick of it. I pout in the waiting room for over an hour until the Captain calls me in.

"You can't just show up here. I know Thorne did things differently, but you're playing by my rules now. And in my rule book, you make an appointment."

"You're a cop, not a dentist. What the hell is so important that I have to make a fucking appointment?"

"You're angry. I can see that."

"Angry? Angry? You don't know angry! I mean, I have to wait around, just hoping no one I know will die. You know, I used to be upset about it. Like, sad and depressed and woe-is-me. But now I'm pissed. Pissed because Thorne had a lead and they killed him over it. I want to know what he knew."

"Can't tell you that."

"Bullshit! Bull. Shit."

"Yugi, I will ask you to leave."

"You do that then. You ask me to leave. But I'm not leaving until I know what Thorne knew."

"It's not that easy Yugi. I can't just hand over information."

"I _live_ with someone who could possibly be the next victim, but no. No! No one will tell me a damn thing!"

"Alright, I need you to leave."

"Give me that information." He presses a button on his phone.

"Send someone in to escort Mr. Mutou out of my office."

"Fine! Fine! You keep this from me. But I'll find out. I will. Trust me." Two officers grab me by the arms. I feel like I'm in a film noir scene. They tell me to make an appointment next time and to watch out for dead bodies. I tell them to go fuck themselves. They laugh. I must be a running joke around there. It's like none of them care five people are dead. They just think I'm funny.

Must be the hair.

I stalk off to my car, thinking about what to do next. I sort of just want to go crazy and drive the car into the station, but instead I drive to Kaiba's office. Because he gave Thorne the information. And he can give it to me.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Yugi, you can't go in there!" Mokuba says, trying to stop me. But I do. Kaiba looks up, but he's not angry. It's almost like he's been expecting me. He even smiles a little bit. Scary.

"Get out Mokuba." His brother quickly runs from the room, shutting the door. "I'm sorry to hear about your friend. Thorne, was it?" I nod. He looks genuinely sorry. "What can I do to help?"

"Why would I be here for that?"

"Are you ever here for any other reason?" He has a point there.

"They won't tell me what Thorne found. I want the same information you gave him." His face lights up.

"Innocent and pure Yugi is going around the police? It seems unthinkable. Unbelievable even."

"Start believing."

"Oh I will. If anyone would catch this guy it'd be you. Not the cops. They're so...inefficient." He begins typing and printing things out. "I saved this stuff. Just in case. I don't know what I thought, really. I just-"

"Thank you, Kaiba. This means a lot." He raises an eyebrow.

"Just catch the fucker, okay? I'm sick of hearing about him. Now, get out." I turn and leave, clutching the information that killed Thorne in my hands. I almost feel dangerous. Like I'm breaking some rule. But after a while, that wears off and I don't feel so great. I feel scared. Like maybe I'm doing the same thing. Walking into my own death. But it's too late to go back now. I've got work to do. Thorne and the others are dead and the person who killed them is on this list. I know it. Yami isn't sure.

"What is this?"

"A list of Battle City entrants, people who bought duel disks, and people who've used them in the last six months."

"Who would use a duel disk?"

"Four hundred and thirty-one people. Most of the Dean Snyder." He laughs. "What?"

"I don't know. It just seems..."

"You don't think this is a good idea?"

"No, actually, I don't. Excuse my attitude, but the last person who used this informaiton is dead now, Yugi. I just want you to stay safe." I sigh. He's right. I need to be careful.

But you can't be careful when people are dying. Careful is not an option.


	11. From Bridge to Bridge Thus

**A/N:** And the good stuff starts here. I hope. ^^

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 11: From Bridge to Bridge Thus**

_"One thousand and two hundred sixty-six years were complete, that here the way was broken."  
Canto 11, from Dante's Inferno_

"Yugi? Yugi, your phone."

"I don't want it," I mutter, rolling over in bed, covering my head with the sheets.

"Yugi, it's Kaiba." I pull the blanket down and look Yami. He shrugs and I answer the phone.

"About time!" Kaiba shouts.

"Nice to hear from you, too. What do you want?"

"Mokuba is in the hospital. I want to know what the hell is going on." I sit up in bed, trying to understand. "Well?"

"What do you mean, exactly?"

"Someone beat the shit out of my brother and I think it's the same people who've been killing duelists."

"Mokuba isn't a du-"

"DOES IT MATTER?" he bellows into the phone. "Get to the hospital. Now." He hangs up and I'm left with nothing but silence on the other end. I close the phone. I need to get rid of it. I only get bad news on it anymore. It's starting to bother me.

"You're not going to the hospital, are you?"

"I am, yeah." He sighs and looks at me.

"Yugi, it's not your job to protect everyone." I shake my head. "What good will it do? You go there to tell Kaiba what? You had nothing to do with it and you don't know who did it? He has no proof it was them. Some idiot could have mugged him. Knew he was a Kaiba brother. There are a hundred other reasons for this happening. You owe Kaiba nothing."

"I owe Rebecca. I owe her something."

"That wasn't your fault."

"It doesn't matter. I owe her and I've got to figure out who this is. I know it's the same people. I just know it. It has to be."

"I'll come with you."

"No. I'll go alone. I need to do this." He nods and allows me to get up. I get dressed and lean down to kiss him. He pulls me in and I almost think about not going. Staying here, like this. I'm breathing too fast suddenly and pull back. "I know what you're doing." He rolls his eyes and laughs. "I have to. I'll see you later, okay?" He nods and lets me go. But part of me wishes he'd held on a little longer.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Mokuba looks awful. Both his eyes are swollen and black. He has bruises on his arms and they said one of his ribs crack. Said he's lucky to be alive. Kaiba paces and paces and I think he's about to lose it when I tap him on the shoulder. He shoves me back against the wall. "What did you do?"

"Get the fuck off!" I shove him away and he just stares.

"It wasn't you."

"Why the hell would I do that, huh? Beat your brother like I beat the others? You think I did this? And that I killed those other duelists? That I would kill Rebecca? You're pathetic Kaiba. Yami was right. I don't owe you an explanation. I'm going home." A young woman is sitting in a chair in the corner. She looks up at us and then quickly back down to her book. "We're embarassing ourselves Kaiba. You should be worrying about your brother."

"I am worried about my brother. I just want to know who did this."

"Well, stop looking my way. Because it wasn't me. I came and asked you for information Kaiba." He rubs his face and shakes his head.

"You're right. You're right. Of course you are. You always are. Every fucking time. Thanks...Yugi. I think." He wanders off, leaving me a little shell-shocked in the hall. The woman comes over.

"I-I'm sorry. Did I hear right? Are you Yugi Mutou? King of Games?" I nod. "Oh my God. Oh my God. Wow. Wow. Wow. This is just so great. My younger brother would freak if he knew who I was talking to. He always wanted to be a big deal duelist but my parents were never supportive. And he was so young. But he idolized you. I mean, really. Just worshipped."

"Well, uh, tell him thanks, I guess. If you see him. I mean-"

"Can I buy you a coffee or some vending machine fare? I mean, you look beat." I nod and accept her request. She buys me a soda and herself a water. I feel unhealthy, but the sugar rush is nice. I feel looser. Drunk almost. Just with a clearer head. "I couldn't help but overhear. You know something about this Duel Monsters Killer?" I nod again.

"Yeah. I've, uh, had a bit of bad luck." She nods as well. "I mean, I've sort of been involved. I don't have all the pieces still, but I woke up next to Rebecca..."

"Oh my God. That's terrible."

"Yeah, and I found Weevil Underwood. But nothing since then. I mean, I've been working with the police if I remember anything. And before Detective Thorne died, I was really close. But now..."

"I was so sad to hear about the detective. That's really too bad." We chat for a while longer. Make small talk. She flirts. "Do you, maybe, want to go to dinner? We could talk more."

"You know....I'm sort of seeing someone." She laughs knowingly. We say our good byes and I decide to check in on Mokuba before I head home. He's feeling better, but the swelling hasn't gone down in the few hours I've been here. He seems in good spirits and tells me I'd better do a good job finding the guy who did this. I promise him I will.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

**_King of Games? Or King of Kills?  
By J.S. Downs_**

_In his heyday, Yugi Mutou was a crown duelist, winning the title King of Games during the Duelist Kingdom Tournament, hosted by billionare Maximillion Pegasus. "Yugi was an exceptional duelist. I've never seen anyone as talented before him, nor after him," said the aging millionare Pegasus just a few days ago. "It's a shame to hear about all this murder nonsense. Really. Doesn't seem to be Yugi-boy's style." And, indeed, it doesn't._

_Reputed to be one of the most kind-hearted duelists of his age, Yugi Mutou seems to be caught up in a tangle web of lies, murder, and police-inadequecy. The notorious Duel Monsters Killer has struck again recently, this time suspected of savagely beating the youngest Kaiba brother, Mokuba Kaiba. The elder brother was not available for comment. Mr. Mutou was there by Mokuba's side, making sure he was okay, this writer assumed. But is there something more? Is Yugi Mutou the notorious Duel Monsters Killer?_

_He admitted to waking up next to the dead child-prodigee Rebecca Hawkins. He claims he found the body of Weevil Underwood. And what of the others? Yugi has of course done battle with Rex Raptor and Mai Valentine. Were they simply other targets? Is Yugi out to be the only duelist left? But of course, the death of Detective Robert Thorne would negate that theory, would it not? Perhaps Det. Thorne discovered little Yugi's secret. That he has been picking off duelists one by one._

_Who will be next? This reporter can not say. All I can say is Domino City better watch out for Yugi Mutou. Because it seems this King of Games has become the King of Kills._

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

I crumple the article and chuck it across the room. Yami opens the door and it hits him in the chest. "You read it?" I nod. "Yugi, this woman is full of shit."

"Yeah she is. She fucking pretended to be waiting for a friend. Bought me a soda. Made small talk. ASKED me to DINNER."

"You said no."

"Of course. Don't pull this shit." He smiles and pushes me down onto the bed, attacking my neck. "Stop. I'm not in the mood."

"Oh _aibou, aibou, aibou_." He keeps kissing me, sending me reeling. It gets heavy and I have to stop him. "Still no?" I nod. He sighs and lays next to me. I can tell he's getting impatient. He wants to have sex. I'm just not ready.

I'm not ready for anything it seems.


	12. No Thief is He, Nor I a Thievish Spirit

**A/N:** Beware the lemon. Beware the possibility of the upcoming ending. Forgive me for what I am about to do.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 12: No Thief is He, nor I a Thievish Spirit**

_"O blind cupidity, O wrath insane, that spurs us onward so in our short life, and in the eternal then so badly steeps us!"  
Canto XII, from Dante's Inferno_

His lips crash against my hard and rough, but I have had enough of waiting. The article from a few days ago is the last straw. Everybody says it's crap. That she had no right to publish that. The Captain says she's in big trouble. Says I should have kept my mouth shut, but he's going to fry that reporter's ass and- ah! His teeth graze my neck. God, he feels so good. His hands run all over my chest. We abandoned our clothes forever and ever ago. Left them on the floor. I forget which room we're in. It doesn't matter. He whispers _I want you I need you I have to have you_ into my neck and I nod. I want him need him have to have him, too.

I always have.

But a part of me doesn't want to lose control. A part of me is suddenly freaking out in the back of my mind. I don't want to feel powerless, I don't want to feel like I'm losing. I need to breathe. I need to move. I stop him. Smile. And roll us over. "Yugi-" I shush him and slide my tongue in his mouth. I don't know why, but tonight I want this. I want to be in control. For a minute, it looks like he'll fight me for it. But he resigns himself. I don't know how this works, so I let my insticts and his hands guide me. Maybe he knows why I want to do this. I think he does. He covers my fingers with something sticky and slippery. I know what to do. I carefully probe and prep him and his moans and hisses as I do. I don't know why I'm doing this. Why I've surrendered to him like this. Only to regain my own bit of control in this world of mine where everything is spinning in a thousand directions. I pull out. He coats my erect member with the same substance and guides my hips. I push in.

It is unlike anything I have felt before. So tight and hto and warm and loose and everything all at the same time. I gasp and push in and out. In and out. He moans and moves underneath me, digging his nails into my skin. _Aibou Yugi Hikari ah! _His words echo in my mind. I want him to be quiet, though. I need quiet. I only want to hear breathing. So I kiss him. Stop him from talking.

We continue like this until I feel the pressure inside me build and build until finally I release at the same time he does.

And it feels so wonderful.

Perfection.

Love.

We fall asleep wrapped around one another.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

When I wake up, he's not there. It's nine in the morning. I get dressed and go downstairs. Grandpa is making coffee. "Where's Yami?"

"He went to the store for me. I need chicken." He smiles and hands me a cup of coffee. "How are you?"

"Fine. You read that article?" He nods. "It's such bullshit."

"Language, young man." I sigh and look around the kitchen. It feels different today. Must be the sex. I yawn and add sugar to my coffee. Cream. "You have too big of a sweet tooth" I shrug and add more sugar. Ignoring his disapproval. He's right, but it doesn't matter. I go upstairs after a while and fall back asleep. I don't know why I'm so tired. I wake up and go into Yami's room.

"Grandpa? Is Yami still not back?"

"No. I tried to call him. Must have gotten distracted." I bite my lip. Something doesn't feel right. Something feels very wrong. Very very wrong.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It is now five o'clock. This is wrong. I've called him a thousand times. Something is wrong.

Wrong _wrong wrong wrong._

Jesus where is he? I call the Captain. He tells me I should call him with real emergencies. Not missing boyfriends. Well. He can go fuck himself I guess. Why doesn't he care? Dammit, Yami. Where the hell are you? I'm freaking out in my head, trying to remain calm. I look around and I can't really figure any of this out. I know what's going on, deep down. I know you've been taken. I pull out the information Kaiba gave me, but there's nothing here. Everything is so inconsistant. All these people who turned on their duel disks and then turned them off. I shake my head.

And then I notice something.

Bread. The smell of baking bread.

The red door.

The smell of baking bread.

The bakery. God, the only bakery in Domino City that operates out of a warehouse. I went there as a kid on a field trip. But it shut down a few years later. But the smell lingers all over the block, they say. That someone comes in and bakes something every once in a while. Thought it was a ghost but it turns out it was the original owner, going in once a month and baking things. Why the hell would it smell that way. I sit down on the floor of Yami's room. And I remember something.

_"What the fuck are you doing?"_

_"This used to be a bakery, didn't you know?"_

_"No, I didn't. You're not baking are you?"_

_"Yeah. They got mixes and everything in here. How about a classic French loaf? Hmm?"_

_"Can we just kill her already? God, I'm getting sick of this."_

_"Hey kid, you like bread?" I moan and roll over. It hurts. Hurts so much. Rebecca's eyes are filled with fear. It's okay I mouth to her. She smiles._

_The man turns on one of the ovens. The smell of baking bread fills the room._

The smell of bread.

I look at the map. Kaiba Corp owns that entire block. They've had plans to demolish that block for months. Make way for Kaiba's new game palace or whatever. I don't even know. Don't even care. I just know someone's been using it while Kaiba Corp's been waiting. I have to tell him. Have to let him know. That's where Yami is I know it.

"Kaiba, it's Yugi. Answer your phone. Someone has Yami at that bakery you own. It's the same people who got Mokuba. If you want to help, meet me there." I hang up. I'm in my car, racing to the old bakery. I drive down an alley and stop.

A red door.

Covered in graffiti.

The smell of baking bread isn't there.

But he is. I know it.

I open the door and see a familiar figure. "Yami!" He doesn't move. God, please, don't let him be dead.

He's still.

Still as stone.

But he's breathing. Bleeding, but breathing. I smile and kiss his forehead. "_Mou hitori no boku_..." How long has it been since I said those words? How long has it been? I can't cry, it seems. I can't. I know he's alive and that's all that matters. "Come on. Wake up. Let's go home, okay?" I try to haul him up, but he's just dead weight in my arms. A figure stands in the doorway, blocking the light. "Kaiba?"

"You called. I came right over."

"Thank God you're here." He nods and trys to help me with Yami. I don't know why, but I feel safer now. We head toward the doorway. But something is wrong. Kaiba isn't holding Yami up anymore. My darker half slips from my shoulders.

And Kaiba smiles.

A strange, almost insane smile.

And then I know.

"You."

His foot collides with my chest and I go flying. Yami falls to the ground as I scramble to get up.

"Thanks for playing the game Yugi. Ready for the finale?"


	13. Those Savage Wild Beasts

**A/N:** Did anyone see that coming? Because I did. When I first started this. I tried to keep it very secretive, but you'll know why our bad-guy did it. (hint: he's CRAZY) This one is short because I like cliff-hangers.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 13: Those Savage Wild Beasts**

_"But tell him who thou wast, so that by way of some amends thy fame he may refresh up in the world, to which he can return."  
Canto XIII, from Dante's Inferno_

Sickness washes over me as I realize I am standing face to face with the Duel Monsters Killer.

Seto Kaiba.

"Oh God..."

"It was hard hiding all this from you. When it was you I wanted to tell the most. I thought perhaps, in some twisted way, you would see the genius of the plan. That perhaps you would even approve. But I wasn't sure. So I had to hide it from you. Had to wear the mask. But it was so easy as well! You let me lead you right where I wanted you! You ended up in all the wrong places at the most perfect times! Granted, you seeing the damned Duel Disk wasn't planned, but it helped quite a bit. I had one of the men I hired to wear the disk at all times. It was activated as well, but I erased that from the files I gave your precious Detective Thorne. And he noticed. Not that I deleted them, really, just that there were inconsistancies. And, of course, I missed one. I made a mistake. But it didn't matter. I'd planned on killing Thorne the moment I met him. His confronting me about the whole ordeal just made it happen faster. He saw the name. Saw it on all three lists. Did his research. When he learned he'd been employed by me, it confronted me. I had him killed that same day.

"But I never did any of the killing, you see? I couldn't. I wasn't part of the plan and it would have blown up in my face. So I hired people to do it for me. As far as I know, Thorne was the only one who knew. Sad, isn't it? I mean, he really was a good man. Shouldn't have been so nosy. I killed Rebecca first. I wanted to make a splash, you see? Young girl, prodigee, on the rise as a great intellectual and duelist. I wanted people to know I meant business. That I wasn't playing around. So I had her killed first."

"And raped."

"Excuse me?"

"They raped her."

"Ah, well, that wasn't in the job description. But what my men do is-"

"You raped Rebecca!" I scream. He scowls.

"I didn't. One of them did."

"You might as well have." He shakes his head and laughs. Who is this man who stands before me? Not the same Seto Kaiba I knew. This one has gone blind with insanity. Something is wrong.

"After Rebecca, I had Underwood killed. Imagine my joy at finding out you'd discovered the body. Mokuba wasn't supposed to be there, but no matter. Then, of course, it was Rex and Mai. I was planning on killing Vivian Wong next, but I couldn't resist the Pharaoh. I couldn't. I had them take him. Truth be told, I'm getting a little sick of this game. So this just seems like the most perfect way to end it, don't you think?" He laughs.

"You had your brother beaten."

"Yes. The Captain called. He began suspecting something. I had to throw him off. After Mokuba was found, he called me. Apologized for any inconvienience. I just told him to do his job and catch the bastard who'd done this to my brother. Little did he know he'd been speaking to him. I found that terribly amusing, as you can see." He pushes Yami's head with his foot. "But now I'm not sure what to do. I mean, you're here and he's here."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why? Why did you do all this?"

"It isn't obvious?" I shake my head. "I run a gaming company, Yugi. My entire life is based around games. I can't live without them. But above all else, I have a passion for Duel Monsters. And I'm tired of it living in the shadows. I'm tired of the Game King. That's all people remember. They see you and they say, 'That's the King of Games!' But they don't remember who invented the Duel Disk. Who hosted Battle City. Who the true King of Games was before you came along. They didn't know. Nor did they care. And I was angry about it for a very long time. Then, one day, I had an idea. I knew I had to bring back Duel Monsters. I knew I had to resurrect my company. Sales had gone down. Stock was depleting. I was losing my livelihood. So I began plan. I was planning a way back into the gamin world. No longer would I be a laughing stock among other gaming companies. I had to make my comeback.

"I knew that with the loss of major duelists, people would be reminded of what it was like. Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, Yugi. It makes us return to the things we once loved. Sometimes with a stronger hold than we had before. And with major duelists out of the game, people would be free to enter the competition. They'd name entire dueling arena's after Rebecca. Tournaments would be held in honor of Mai. Underwood and Raptor's decks would be recreated and sold. The world would once again feel the power and glory of duel monsters. And they would remember you."

"What?"

"You're next Yugi, can't you see that?" He laughs. "Or atleast, one of us is."

"What the hell?"

"You see, I don't care about this really. I care about my company. And I care about the legacy I'll leave behind. I have no desire to ever play Duel Monsters again. I want Mokuba to have the chance to become the King of Games. I want him to inherit the company and make the gaming industry regret what they've said about the Kaiba brothers and their company. I want him to have that. All of it. And he will. But one of us needs to die."


	14. The Charity of My Native Place

**A/N: **And the updates keep coming. We're coming to the end of the fic now. So please put your tray tables in the upright and locked position. This is SUPERSHORT because I'm keeping you on edge!!!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 14: The Charity of My Native Place**

_"Thus was descending the eternal heat, whereby the sand was set on fire, like tinder beneath the steel, for doubling of the dole."  
Canto XIV, from Dante's Inferno_

I don't understand. And I tell him so. He seems angry.

"Don't be an idiot Yugi. You know how deep your influence runs. The article? It was bullshit. Not a single person believed it. They retracted it this morning because of how many angry letters and phone calls they got. You're a fucking superstar. And if you were to die at the hands of the Duel Monsters Killer, the entire game would be revived. Forget the others. They'd name a god damned card after you. Every arena would be renamed. Every tournament held in your honor. Imagine if I died what Mokuba would do for me! Another arena here, a tournament there, a few cards someplace else. You and I, Yugi, we could be martyrs. If only one of us were willing."

"I don't want to die."

"And neither do I. But I have accepted the fact that one day I will. And so must you." He reaches behind him and pulls two guns from his belt.

He throws one to me.

"Listen very carefully Yugi. It all ends here. The police will arrive in less than five minutes. One of the men who've been doing my bidding called them. They were, of course, apprehended a very short while ago. I think they're both dead now. A police shoot off. I told them not to go down without a fight. I forgot to mention the accuracy of Domino City police officers these days. I had to, really. They're cowards, both of them. Why do you think one of them raped Rebecca? Only cowards do these things. Only cowards and weak men work for men of power. Men like us." He lifts Yami by his shirt collar. "Doesn't seem so royal now, does he? No matter. This is it."

"Kaiba, please. Let's talk this out."

"We don't have time to talk! The police will be here any moment. Now I'm giving you a choice, Yugi! Shoot me, or I'll shoot you both. Either way, I win."

"You can't win if you're dead Kaiba!" The gun is shaking in my hand. Yami begins to stir, but he's still out of it. Blood is covering his face. I can't look.

"I told you that's not what this is about! Now do it!"

"No!"

"I'm going to count to three. And on three, I will shoot you. And then I'll shoot him. And you can die here together. One!"

"Kaiba!"

"Two!"

"Kaiba, please!"

"Three!"

A shot rings out across the warehouse.


	15. A Moment Stops

**A/N:** Sorry, but that seemed like a great place to end. But I THINK this is the last chapter. I THINK. Okay, I was right. It's over. Hope you enjoyed.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plots and OC's.**

**Chapter 15: A Moment Stops**

_"What fortune or what fate before the last day leadeth thee down here? And who is this that showeth thee the way?"  
Canto XV, from Dante's Inferno_

I hold the gun in my hands.

Kaiba looks at me, stunned.

Yami falls down, staring at the shaking Kaiba.

A soft smile.

A cackle.

A whisper.

"I knew you had it in you."

He falls.

A hand rests on my shoulder, takes the gun from me.

"Hey Game King," Greg says softly. The Captain comes up behind him.

"We found a note from Thorne. Jesus." He looks at Kaiba and takes off his hat. "Sad day when a man loses his mind."

"I think he's the most sane person I've ever met," I whisper, falling to my knees. Yami comes over and wraps an arm around me.

"There, there, _aibou_. It's alright. It's all over now. You did it." I nod. I did it. I caught him. I payed everyone back. I fixed it. Rebecca, can you hear me?

I fixed it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In Kaiba's will, he names Mokuba soul executor. Leaves everything to him. At seventeen, Mokuba becomes the president and CEO of Kaiba Corp. And his first action as one of the most powerful men in Domino City is to cover up what his brother did.

"You don't know what it was like," he says quietly to the Captain. He's still in the hospital, sharing a room with Yami. "He started losing it a few years ago. He was always angry, but something changed. Something was really different. And I had to live with it every day. I don't know. Maybe I could have stopped him." I shake my head.

"No. Kaiba was lost. You did all you could." He shrugs.

"Well, if I haven't done anything before, I'm doing it now. The Captain isn't letting any news of Seto reach the public. As far as anyone knows, he was killed by the Duel Monsters Killer who was actually a pair of men who were caught and killed in a police shoot out. The new dueling arena will be named after him. As will the first tournament. Which just got a huge spike in participants."

"Just what he wanted," I say quietly, stroking Yami's hand. He's out cold again. But he'll be alright.

We all will, eventually.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kaiba got what he wanted. In the years after his death, Duel Monsters took a whole new turn. Mokuba opened the Dueling Academy. He turned dueling from a semi-professional hobby into a full-fledged career. I lot of people thought I'd go back.

But I didn't.

I couldn't, really, knowing what sacrifices had been made to make this possible. These days I make appearances at Mokuba's request.

But I always remember what it took to do this.

I never forget.

"It seems strange, little one, but Kaiba brought us together."

"I suppose."

"I don't know where we'd be if the whole Duel Monsters Killer had happened."

"We'd be together."

"You think?" I nod. "I guess you're right. We're meant to be together, aren't we?" I nod again.

"Yeah, we are."

"What happens next?"

"Whatever happens I guess."

"Hopefully no more murders."

"Hopefully." He smiles and kisses me. "You love me, don't you?" I say.

"Always, little one."

"Stop calling me that."

"Whatever you say, little one." I sigh. Some things never change.

Some things never stay the same.

I like to think I am a mix of both of that. That I can be ever shifting and still remain who I am.

I like to think that. I really do.


End file.
